Now or Never
by The-Girl-Marauder
Summary: Harry's in his sixth year at Hogwarts and he's having a hard time dealing with everything on his own. He needs someone to share his feelings with...someone other than his best friends. But does the person he like like him too? rnrnPlease Review!
1. Back At School

Harry was sitting at a small round table in the corner of the Gryffindor common room with Ron Weasley and Hermione Granger, his two best friends. Harry was cheerful to be back at school after a long and tiring summer. Although he had only been at the Dursley's for two weeks, it had given him more than enough time to think about the death of Sirius. It wasn't a topic that Harry liked to discuss with his friends, but when he was alone it was almost all he thought about. He had also been thinking a special girl who also seemed to weasel her way into Harry's thoughts all the time. Harry stared across the room at her. She was sitting by the fireplace absorbed in a book. Her long red hair jumped out at him. He smiled. A loud drumming noise shoved him back into reality. He turned around to see Hermione drumming her fingers on the table and looking intently at Harry.

"What?" he asked her, although he knew what was coming.

"You were doing it again, Harry." Hermione replied with a wide smirk on her face. She couldn't help but laugh at Harry, she noticed what he was up to only too often.

"Hermione, I have no idea what you are talking about."

"Harry, you really couldn't make it anymore obvious." The smirk was still sitting on her face, as noticeable as ever.

"Hermione, seriously, what are you talking about?" Harry knew very well that Hermione was referring to Harry's crush on his best friend's sister, Ginny. Ginny was a year younger than Harry, Ron, and Hermione and had had a crush on Harry a few years ago. Harry had not really noticed her until last year, although he somehow knew she had always been there.

Hermione gave up easily because she knew that Harry was trying very hard to keep his secret away from Ron and would not admit to anything in front of him. Harry knew Ron only too well to know that Ron would probably make fun of him for years if he knew that Harry liked Ginny.

Ron was looking at them both with an extremely puzzled look on his face. "Hermione, you're always telling Harry he's doing something—may I ask what he is doing?"

"Ron, he is doing nothing that involves you. Now be quiet and finish doing you're homework."

"Yes, mum." Harry let out a snort; he tried to hold back his laughter because he didn't want to get Hermione angry. She had a temper like Mrs. Weasley. Hermione on the other hand glared at Ron.

"I've had about enough from you lately, Ronald." And with that she marched over to Ginny with all her belongings and sat down next to her. Harry glanced back down at his potions essay.

"I can't focus right now. I'm gonna head off to the dormitory." Harry's mind had wandered to Ginny once again. She was so beautiful, but why would she ever like Harry again. He was just an arrogant famous boy. The boy who lived.

Ginny looked up from her book as she saw Harry get up and head towards his dormitories. She watched him closely until he was out of site. Ginny had liked Harry for as long as she could remember. She always saw him and talked to him often because he was best friends with Ron. But, she had never gotten the courage to tell Harry how much she liked him.

Hermione was now smirking at her. It was as if she could she right into Ginny's mind.

"Ginny, may I ask you something?" Hermione said.

"Sure, anything." At least Hermione would take her mind off Harry. She didn't notice the smirk on Hermione's face.

"Why don't you tell Harry you like him?"

"What are you talking about?" Hermione smiled at Ginny, for Harry's response had been almost identical.

"Ginny, honestly. I know you like Harry. You should really tell him." The smirk at faded off her face and she looked serious now.

Ginny knew she had to give in. She just didn't know that Ron was listening from across the room. "I know I should, but he doesn't like me. I don't want to be rejected by Harry Potter. It's better off me not knowing his response." She looked sheepishly down at the floor.

"Ginny Weasley, you are being just plain silly. I am positive I can guess Harry's reaction and I'm pretty sure you'd be happy with the outcome."

"And what would his reaction be?"

"Now, why would I want to ruin all the fun. You'll just have to find out for yourself."

Ginny stared at the wall. Did Harry like her? She didn't know that, but she knew one thing—she was going to have to tell Harry how she felt. It was now or never. She got up smiled at Hermione and headed off to bed.

Ron walked over to Hermione and sat down next to her on the couch. "What was that all about?"

"Oh Ron, you are so utterly stupid sometimes."

"What are you talking about?" It was the third time Hermione had heard this phrase tonight and by now she was sick of hearing it.

"Everyone is so clueless around here and I'm sick of being the only one that knows everything." At this, Ron laughed, Hermione definitely was a know-it-all. "In case you haven't notice Ginny likes Harry and Harry likes Ginny. But the two them both think that the other one doesn't like them."

"What?" Apparently this was new news to Ron.

"I quit." Hermione had done her best to explain the situation to Ron. She left him sitting there looking dumbfounded while she headed up to bed as well.

Ron sat there and processed the information. Harry likes Ginny and Ginny likes Harry…but neither of them knew they liked each other? He smiled and raced off to see if Harry was still awake.

Harry was laying in bed thinking about everything. Voldemort, the prophecy, his parents, Sirius, and Ginny kept crossing his mind. He needed Ginny; he needed someone special to confide in, not just Ron and Hermione. Suddenly, he heard someone run into the room and a very loud whisper filled the air. "HARRY ARE YOU AWAKE?"

"Well if I was sleeping, I'm definitely awake now." Harry let out a fake yawn.

"Well..umm..you see…Hermione…she just…ummm…"

"Ron, you better spit out what you're trying to say or I'm going back to bed." He was in no mood to be playing games.

"Ginny likes you." Ron turned beet red as he said, although he had nothing to be embarrassed about.

"Good for her." Harry didn't want Ron to think that he liked her. Inside, though, his mind was doing flips. Did she really like him? No, he thought, that's not possible.

"I thought you liked her!"

"Where did you get that idea from?"

"Hermione."

"Speaking of Hermione, when are you going to ask her out?"

"DON'T CHANGE THE SUBJECT ON ME HARRY. AND I KNOW THAT YOU LIKE GINNY. ALL THE CLUES FIT. NOW IF YOU WILL STOP BEING A GIT AND JUST TELL HER HOW YOU FEEL…THEN MAYBE ILL CONSIDER HERMIONE." By now, Harry was surprised the whole dormitory wasn't awake. Harry continued to stare up at his ceiling. He didn't know what to do.

"I need to take a walk." And with that, he got up and left.

Ginny could not sleep at all. All she could think about was Harry. He had been through so much. How did he do it all? Didn't he need someone like her? She had too much to think about and couldn't get a grip on it all. She decided that she needed a walk was well.

Harry walked down the steps from the dormitory and sat down on a chair by the fire in the common room. Just as he was closing his eyes he heard footsteps behind him and he quickly turned around to see Ginny staring at him.

She stopped dead in her tracks. They both seemed to be thinking the same thing for at the time they spoke.

"Hi, Ginny."

"Hi, Harry."

"Couldn't sleep?" Harry asked. He tried to make small talk.

"No…too much on my mind."

"You have too much on your mind?!" For some reason Harry sounded angry as he began to yell and then he continued…only to make the situation worse. "Nothing compares to what I've had to think about! It's my fault Sirius is dead! I want my parents more than ever! Oh and to top it all off…I have to kill Voldemort!" Harry stared. He had just screamed at Ginny. Ginny Weasley of all people.

Ginny stared at him. Tears filled up her eyes. She knew Harry was having a tough time, but she never expected him to scream at her. She turned around and began to run back to bed, but Harry grabbed her arm and she turned around to look at him. His face was inches way from hers.


	2. All i want is you

Chapter 2

Ginny looked into Harry's green eyes. Oh those green eyes. The hand on Ginny's arm began to shake, and before Ginny realized it, Harry's whole body was shaking. He let go of Ginny and collapsed onto a couch and tears started flowing from his face. Ginny didn't know what to do, she was still crying herself.

Ginny took several deep breaths and wiped the tears from her eyes. Then she sat down next to Harry and wrapped her arms around him. Harry placed his head on her shoulder and continued to cry.

"Oh Harry…Harry please its really okay…" Ginny managed to say.

"No, Gin. No its not. I'm so sorry. I never meant to scream. It's just been so hard for me…and I-I-I…" Harry trailed off.

"You what Harry? It's okay, talk to me." As upsetting as this whole event was, Ginny was enjoying it because it allowed her to spend time with Harry. Maybe, just maybe she would be able to express her feelings for him.

"Why is my life so miserable? So complicated?" Harry was at it again, he could feel the anger building up inside him. "I HATE THIS. I WANT SIRIUS AND I WANT MY PARENTS. RON AND HERMIONE ARE NO HELP RIGHT NOW BECAUSE EVERYTIME I WANT TO TALK TO THEM THEY LEAVE ME ALONE. THEY THINK I NEED SPACE. I DON'T NEED SPACE. I NEED SOMEONE TO TALK TO."

"Oh Harry. You can talk to me…you really can. But first you need to calm down." Ginny really didn't know what to do—after all she wasn't Hermione who could solve almost anyone's problems.

"Ginny…I'm sorry…but I need to be alone right now. I'll come talk to you later maybe." The truth was Harry really wanted to tell Ginny how he felt right then. He had such an urge and he realized that if she stayed there and continued comforting him, he would probably end up kissing her. He thought this would be a mistake.

Ginny smiled at Harry, muttered "Okay," and then walked off back to her dormitory. As she walked up the stairs she couldn't believe how close she had been to Harry's face…and those green eyes. She kept picturing him in her mind until she dozed off to sleep.

Ron was sleeping when he was awoken by someone rummaging frantically through their things. He pulled back the hangings around his bed to find himself staring at Harry. Harry was tossing socks, books, and gadgets in every direction.

"Harry what the bloody hell are you doing? Go back to sleep why don't ya?"

There was no response. Finally, Harry found what he was looking for. He was holding a mirror in his hand. Ron noticed dried tears on his face and his eyes all blotchy.

"Harry…are you okay?"

Once again there was no response. Ron watched as Harry walked out of the room again. He debated for a second whether to follow him, but then Ron realized that Harry had made it quite clear he didn't want to talk to anyone.

Harry stared into the mirror. "Sirius…come on…I need you…please Sirius…" Harry began to cry again. He had tried using the mirrors often but they never worked. He dropped his head into his arms and the mirror went crashing to the floor. Harry didn't even bother to look at it, but then all of a sudden he heard something.

"Harry…Harry? Harry?"

"Oh. My. God. Sirius?" He picked up the mirror—which to Harry's surprise had not shattered.

"Harry! Oh I've been wondering when I would get to talk to you. How's life going?"

"Oh, Sirius." Tears of joy dribbled down Harry's face. "I miss you so much. Everything is just terrible without you. I need you. More importantly—how are you?"

"It's very strange in here. Since I'm not technically dead and everyone around me is. I've been looking for James and Lily but I can't find them anywhere. There are millions of people in here Harry…all their souls just floating around…its quite creepy…but you can help me."

"I can help you? HOW?"

"All you need to do is kill the person who put me in here. That would have been Ms. Lestrange. Kill her Harry and I am free to go."

Harry pondered on this for a moment. He could get Sirius back? "Wow. Okay…I'll talk to Dumbledore tomorrow. When can I use this to talk to you again?" Harry had never felt so happy in his life.

"Whenever. Just call my name and I'll be there. Goodnight Harry."

"Goodnight Sirius." Harry placed the mirror down. He was going to get Sirius back. He was going to have everything but the one other thing he wanted most—Ginny.


	3. temptations

Chapter 3

Harry woke up the next morning in the common room. He had never made it up to his own bed last night. He saw the mirror sitting on the table in front of him and memories of the night before flooded his mind-Ginny and Sirius. He quickly hurried back up the stairs to the dormitory and changed his clothes. When he turned around, he noticed Ron staring at him.

"Hey man, are you okay?" Ron asked while yawning.

"Yeah, I'm fine." Harry had the urge to tell Ron about Sirius but he wanted to tell Ginny first. He wanted to tell Ginny first? When had he ever wanted to tell Ginny anything before he told Ron?

"You didn't look so good last night. Have any luck with that mirror?"

"Ummm…no…" Harry lied. Ron turned his head slightly and gave him a strange look. Normally when anyone discussed Sirius or the mirror Harry would go running off or he would become frozen to the spot and wouldn't respond to anyone or anything.

"Harry? Are you sure you're okay? You didn't go running off or freeze…that's unlike you." Ron knew that something was up and he was trying desperately to get Harry to tell him.

"Ron, if there was something wrong I would tell you. I really would. I have to go find Ginny, I'll see you at breakfast." Harry scurried out of the room before Ron could ask him anymore questions.

Find Ginny? Ron thought. Find Ginny? What did he need to find Ginny for? Ron continued to space out until he heard a distant voice shouting his name.

"Ronald, please come down here."

Ron sprinted down the steps and came face to face with Hermione. "What the bloody hell is up now?"

"Harry's…acting normal! What is up with him?" Hermione looked at him quizzically.

"Jeesh, you're acting as if it's a bad thing, Hermione."

"He came bounding down the stairs all happy. He asked me if I'd seen Ginny and I told him she went to the library…then I asked him what was wrong and he was like nothing and I noticed him holding the mirror. I asked him if he'd talked to Sirius…he said no. He actually answered my question. RON ARE YOU LISTENING TO ME?"

Ron was looking out the window. "What? Oh yeah I asked him the same thing. This is all really weird. And since when does he want Ginny?"

At this comment a smile washed across her face. "Ron, you do remember that Harry likes Ginny? And Ginny likes Harry?"

"Well, I tried to talk to Harry about it but he said that he didn't like her."

"RON! Of course he's not going to admit to it! You shouldn't be talking! I've had enough and I'm going to bed." Hermione threw her hands up in rage and stormed out of the common room.

"I guess I'm the only civilized one left in the world." Ron mumbled as he slumped over and began walking to the Great Hall for breakfast.

"GINNY!" Harry screamed as he ran down the hallway. He could spot her long, red hair from a mile away.

"Oh, hello Harry," Ginny's insides were turning. Why did he want her?

"Ginny you won't believe what happened last night..." Harry then went on to tell her all about the mirror and Sirius. By the time he was done, Ginny had her hand over her mouth and her eyes were wide.

"Oh my god, Harry, that's wonderful." Before she knew what she was doing she gave him a great, big hug. He wrapped his arms around her. Suddenly she pulled away. "Oh, umm…I'm sorry," Although she really wasn't sorry. It had felt so right his arms just then.

Harry stared at Ginny's beautiful face. He had just hugged her. Ginny Weasley had hugged him and actually meant it. "Ginny there's nothing to be sorry about." He blushed a deep red. He almost looked like Ron's ears.

Ginny smiled back. "I was going to go to the library just now, but I'm kinda hungry. Do you wanna go get some breakfast?"

"Sure. But, I have to make it quick, I have to go see Dumbledore afterwards to tell him about the mirror." Then they both hurried off to the hall together. All Harry wanted to do was grab her hand, but he resisted his temptations.

Ron and Hermione were sitting eating breakfast in the Great Hall when Harry and Ginny walked in. Harry looked so happy that Ron still couldn't believe it.

"Why are so happy mate?"

"Am I allowed to be happy? Do you want me to go back to being as upset as I was before last night?"

"AHA! What happened last night Harry?"

"Nothing happened." He looked over and smiled at Ginny. She winked back. Harry grabbed a piece of toast without even sitting down and stuffed it into his mouth. "I've got to go see Dumbledore…I'll see you guys in Charms."

Ron continued to stare at Harry with his mouth open.

"Oh for heaven's sake Ron close your mouth." Hermione muttered.

Ginny had managed to grab a seat farther down the table so that she would not be able to be questioned by Ron and Hermione. Boy was she wrong.

"GINNY! Here. Right now." Hermione yelled loudly so that half of the Gryffindor table turned to face her. Ginny didn't want to go, but she had to. She was in no mood to be screamed at twice within 24 hours.

"What?"

"What's with Harry?" Ron and Hermione blurted out at the same. They both looked at each other and then blushed. Ginny snickered.

"When he's ready to tell you, he will." Ginny loved knowing things they didn't. At least they got a dose of what she had had to go through the past 6 years.

"Why did he tell you anyways?" Ron muttered to her. It was Ginny's turn to blush.

"Because-because-because…he got mad at me last night. He yelled. It was all his anger that had built up over the summer and he just let it all out…on me. And he told me some things…and he just felt like this morning he wanted to share some information with me." She beamed proudly. Harry Potter had told her the information about Sirius. Not Ron or Hermione. She had never felt so proud in her life. It was with this that Ginny left the table and exited the Great Hall. She decided to go sit in the common room and work on her homework. She was also hoping to get to talk to Harry before he went to class.

Harry was leaving Dumbledore's office, but he was as not at all as happy as when he had entered. Dumbledore had told him that killing Bellatrix could take months, even years. And by then Dumbledore had said Sirius could be dead. Although he didn't need food to survive behind the veil, the only thing keeping him alive was hope. Dumbledore had also taken the mirror from Harry and contacted Sirius right in front of him. He had told Sirius that it would take a long time until they killed Bellatrix and Sirius said that he didn't like it in there. He had told Dumbledore he didn't know how much longer he could last. And finally, he told Harry he loved him. Sirius was as good as dead. Harry began to cry again as he walked back up the common room. The only person that could help him right now was Ginny, and there was no way he was going to charms. 'Ginny's probably in class by now,' he thought.

Ginny gathered her books to head off to her first class of the day, Care of Magical Creatures. At least she'd get to see Hagrid. All of sudden, she saw a blur run past her, then stop and turn around. Uh oh, it was Harry.

"Oh no Harry, what's wrong?" Ginny asked as she noticed the tears on his face. He quickly explained to her what had happened and Ginny decided she should stay with Harry, Hagrid would understand.

Before long, they were sitting on the couch together talking about things other than Sirius. They were talking about Quidditch and Ginny was about to tell Harry about how she wanted to be a chaser.

"Yeah, I know. I liked being a seeker, but I'd really like to…" She was suddenly interrupted.

"Be with you." Harry had finished her sentence with a different ending than she had intended. Harry had no idea where it came from, it was like he couldn't hold it in any longer. He loved Ginny Weasley, and he was proud of it.

All Ginny could do was stare. She had a huge loss of words. Finally, it was Harry who spoke.

"Ginny, I really, really like you. I can't imagine getting through the rest of the year without you. I'm pretty sure you like me too, and if you don't, I'm sorry I have put you through all this." It just occurred to Harry that maybe Ginny did not like him after all…

"Oh, Harry." And with that she pulled him into a hug and then kissed him lightly on the lips.

A/N I hope you enjoy this chapter! PLEASE REVIEW!


	4. Old News

Chapter 4 

Harry pulled away from Ginny. Harry just stared at her beauty, her smile, her lips. He wanted it all and she wanted him.

Ginny smiled up at Harry. She never thought this moment would come. She had liked Harry for as long as she could imagine and he finally liked her.

"Ginny…listen…I'm sorry for having to put you through all this…its just-"

"Harry, please. I could not imagine spending my time any other way. I've loved you for as long as I can remember."

Her caramel eyes were glowing at Harry. He had such an urge to kiss her all over, but he knew better. He smiled and went in for another kiss. So much for class that morning…

"I wonder where Harry is. He never showed up for class." Hermione said to Ron.

"Maybe he talked to Dumbledore through the whole class."

"Yeah, maybe. Leaping Toads," Hermione said to the Fat Lady as they entered the common room. At that moment both Ron and Hermione stopped dead in their tracks. Sitting on the couch in the middle of the room was Harry…and he was smiling. They hadn't seen Harry smiling since before the Department of Mysteries.

"Umm…Harry?" Ron asked him.

"Yeah?" He was staring straight at the dormitories and didn't take his eyes off them for a second.

"What happened? What did Dumbledore say? What is going on? Why are you so happy? And, Harry what-"

But suddenly he was cut short. At that moment Ginny came bounding down the stairs with her favorite two coffee mugs. The smile of Harry's face grew wider, but Ginny's disappeared.

"WILL SOMEONE PLEASE TELL ME WHAT IS GOING ON HERE?" Ron yelled, but Harry was still in his own world. Meanwhile, Hermione was putting two and two together.

"I see." Hermione said, looking back and forth between Harry and Ginny. Harry wasn't paying attention to anyone but Ginny. She was his. He could see it now…Ginerva Weasley Potter. But, Ginny wasn't smiling. She was staring straight at Ron, who was still unaware of what was going on.

Hermione grabbed Ron's wrist, and gave him a pull. He turned bright red, but he wouldn't move at all. "Oh, Ron, come on…do you want me to explain everything to you or not?" He quickly followed her away, looking back over his shoulder to see Ginny look down at Harry and shake her head.

"Ginny…what's wrong?" Harry asked her after Ron and Hermione were out of sight.

"Well, it's just…how's Ron gonna take it?"

"Take what?"

"Us." The smile was wiped off his face as he stood up from the couch.

"Gin, what are you talking about? Ron wanted us to be together. He told me so."

Ginny stared back. She had loved Harry for as long as she could remember and there was no way her brother was going to get in her way. But, Harry said that Ron had wanted them to be together.

"Ginny, seriously, are you going to let your brother come between us? Especially when he wants us to be together?"

"Of course not." She knew there was a reason she had loved Harry. And with that she kissed him gently on the lips, grabbed her bag, and headed off to Defense Against the Dark Arts.

"Hermione, what the bloody hell is up?" Ron was so impatient sometimes that Hermione wanted to smack him.

"First of all, calm down." She looked very serious and stern. She reminded Ron of his mother when she was in a bad temper.

Ron took a deep breath, "Okay, I'm good."

"Well, of course, I don't know for sure yet, but ummm…you see-"

"HERMIONE! Just spit it out!" Ron was so impatient sometimes.

"I think that Harry finally talked to Ginny."

"About what?"

"Ron, you are so slow sometimes. You really are." Ron continued to stare at Hermione with a dumbfounded expression on his face.

"Hermione, I don't understand."

"You know how I have told you a million times that Harry and Ginny like each other?" She was beginning to become frustrated and loose all hope in Ron.

"Yeah, I remember you telling me that once before, I think." Hermione rolled her eyes at him.

"I think that he **_finally_** talked to her and told her how he felt."

"WHAT?" Ron sounded angry, although in his head—fireworks were going off.

"Ron, I know that your happy about this, and if you're not, don't you dare try and ruin it for either of them."

When it finally settled in, all Ron could do was smile.

A/N: Everyone, I'm so sorry it took so long to write this chapter. I experienced a major writers block and when I had finally overcome it, I had a lot of work in school. I promise that Chapter 5 will be up really soon! Please review and thanks for reading!


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